1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to automatic washing machines and is concerned more particularly with an automatic clothes washing machine having means for indicating the level of additive fluid in a multi-load reservoir thereof within the wash cycle.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the loading of an automatic washing machine, clothes generally are deposited through an access door into an open end of a perforated spin tub which is rotatably supported in a stationary drain tub within a cabinet. The washing machine may be cycled through a sequence of operations including a presoaking operation followed by a first liquid extraction, a washing operation followed by a second liquid extraction, a rinsing operation followed by a third liquid extraction, and a spin drying operation. For any of these operations, an additive fluid may be injected into the wash load to enhance the results of the associated operation.
Consequently, there has been developed in the prior art a number of additive dispensing means having respective housings disposed for holding additive liquids until released for a particular operation of the wash cycle. Some of these prior art dispensing means have respective housings located in accessible portions of the cabinets, such as mounted on the terminal end portion of an agitator post extending axially in the spin tub, for example. Generally, a predetermined quantity of additive liquid, such as soap, for example is poured into a housing of the described type; and the access door is closed prior to operating the washing machine. Thus, the level of additive liquid in a housing mounted in an accessible portion of the cabinet is not viewable directly while the washing machine is operating.
Alternatively, some of these prior art dispensing means have respective housings which are located in inaccessible portions of the cabinets, such as under a control panel on the cabinet, for example. Generally, a housing of the inaccessibly located type communicates through a connective conduit means with an inlet opening in a more accessible portion of the cabinet. Thus, an alternative prior art dispensing means of the described type may be supplied with additive liquid by pouring the additive liquid into the inlet opening and permitting it to run through the connective conduit means into the housing. Since the resulting level of additive liquid in the housing is not readily observable, this alternative prior art sensing means may include a fluid level sensing means in the housing connected with a fluid level indicator on an external portion of the cabinet, such as in the control panel, for example.
However, the fluid level sensing means and the connected fluid level indicator generally provide a complex and expensive solution to the problem of determining the level of additive liquid in the housing of an additive dispensing means. Moreover, the fluid level indicator may be designed and mounted in a manner which is difficult to read at a glance, especially in a poorly illuminated environment, such as in a basement area, for example. Furthermore, the fluid level sensing means connected to an external fluid level indicator does not provide a direct view of the liquid level in a housing of an additive dispensing means, particularly when the washing machine is operating.